Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Protein Power Muffins

Does your mom worry that you aren't getting enough protein? Are you looking for a great way to start your day? Do you need to rebuild muscle after a work out? One way to do that is these muffins. These are a variation on my pumpkin muffins, but packed with protein. The have soy, quinoa, and hemp, all of which are complete proteins (i.e. they contain all essential amino acids), as well as bran, flour, and walnuts (which provide essential fatty acids along with flax seed). Here's how the protein breaks down: wheat bran: 8g; oat bran: 4g; quinoa: 9g; flour: 19g; walnuts: 9g; flax seed: 3g; hemp seed: 44g; soy milk: 10g; chocolate chips: 8g. TOTAL: 114g, or about 9.5g per muffin. This is pretty good considering most adults need about 45 to 55g of protein per day. Eat two for breakfast and you've already had over 1/3 of your protein for the day.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

- 2 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 2 tsp cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 3/4 cups wheat bran

- 1/4 cup oat bran

- 3 tbsp ground flax

- scant 1 1/3 cups soy milk

- 1/3 cup canola oil

- 1 tsp vanilla

- 1 cup cooked quinoa

- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

- 1/2 cup hemp seeds

METHOD

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin.

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Mix in bran and flax.

2. Whisk soy milk, canola and vanilla in another bowl. Mix in quinoa. Add to dry ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon until just mixed. Fold in walnuts, chocolate chips, and hemp seeds.

3. Divide batter into muffin tin (it will fill them right up). Bake for 20-22 mins.